The Only Option
by mayfair22
Summary: The first time it had happened…Derek Venturi had blamed it on a severe case of temporary insanity caused due to close association with the McDonalds….and later he just ran out of excuses...my take on a classic case of Derek in denial. Derek centric.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I had originally planned an angst filled future fic, but this is what i landed up doing. maybe it will get a little angsty in the later chapters. Maybe.

Disclaimer: I had begged and threatened...but alll in vain.

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The first time it had happened…Derek Venturi had blamed it on a severe case of temporary insanity caused due to close association with the McDonalds….

George had tried his hand at cooking (yet again) only leading to disaster (and yet again) and they had been forced to ring for pizzas… (Thank God for small mercies), when Derek noticed it…them….

He really hadn't meant to….all he had wanted was to reach up for the ketchup bottle Lizzie was handing him (only organic tomatoes used…mind you) when Casey decided to reach forward for the sole pizza slice still left (that there was a slice left convinced Derek that the cosmos had just decided that it was going to be one of those days …) and the V in her T-shirt had dipped lower giving Derek a full view of her very exposed cleavage…

The ketchup bottle crashed to the ground.

But contrary to what Edwin would say, that was not the worst part…the worst part was that Casey had noticed .She had looked up just in time to see Derek averting his eye…his cheeks going pale (would he ever admit that they could go red? He would rather go ghastly white than girly pink)…an unreadable expression on her face…

That expression remained in his head even when he had the music on to the loudest and the auto magazine he was reading hanging upside down in front of his eyes…(he wasn't reading it anyway….)and mentally ticking away every possible possibility of how Casey would react to this (situation?)situation …

Option 1…..Casey would come into his room and discuss (calmly) that as a teenage boy it was pretty much natural for him to peep down girls shirts…but it just wasn't right when it came to siblings..(step siblings included )…(like he didn't know that already)(crossed out)

Option2….Casey would come into his room and yell…"De-rek…..how can you be such a pervert….."(Not doing…he was not going to listen to her especially when he knows that Edwin and Lizzie probably have their ears glued to the door anyway)(Could happen but crossed out)

Option3….Casey being Casey would come into his room and bring him a book from the library...'how to escape the urges of growing hormones' (Ha! Did she really think that chastity would solve the fact that he had infact…infact what?...oh God this was so so wrong)(so so crossed out)

Option4…Casey would come into his room and locking the door behind her…"Derek, you only got to see a little trailer earlier …wouldn't you want to see the entire movie"…her hands lifting higher along with the t-shirt she was wearing…(he had to throw up in the bathroom to get over the nauseating feeling this one caused…..seriously Casey? Why had he not stopped thinking a long time ago…..) (He was too busy puking to really cross out this one)

He had only been glad that Casey had not come in at all.

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Derek made a beeline for the bathroom the next morning…..if he got to it first then he could get ready for school before Casey and not have to give her a lift to school …and there was hockey practice and he could easily get a date for tonight and he would come in late and Casey would be asleep and viola! he would not have to see her for the entire day..(Was it possible to stick to this schedule for the rest of his life?)

Apparently Casey had had the same idea….

(Oh God! not again) Casey was coming out of the bathroom …her hair still wet and sticking to the back of her neck and he had this sudden urge to brush them away…(wet hair on the nape…it sure must be an uncomfortable feeling…he was just being nice….he was you know, her brother (step) after all)

And he was probably going to be sick again.

"Are you sick?" Casey asked

Hmmm…..was that an alternate version of option no.2 or she meant sick as in ill….?

"You look slightly green"

(So it was sick as in ill)

"Only because I encountered you first thing in the morning Space Case"

Her eyes narrowed and then, "funny, that's not how it looked like last night"

Take this line and add it to _that_ expression and he knows that this was what was going to keep him up for a couple of more nights…. (A couple of nights does not mean a life time ….yeah he assumes he knows that)

And before he could retort she continued (and he was glad because his mind had already shifted to expression + line mode. Apparently a couple of nights also amounts to broad daylight...) "I'll take a ride from Emily today and then there is this poetry class I have to go to and maybe then I'll be out with Emily…just tell mom I will be in late"

Her voice was dead cold…

And that was exactly the type of shower he would need right now….


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I had begged and threatened...but all in vain.

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The second time it happened, Derek Venturi had blamed it on physics. Did you know that there was actually a law of motion which said that even if you are thrown straight, you will fall down? (And break) (_And what was even nastier was that you did not fall down flat on your face, but more in a loop, giving you the feeling that you are going somewhere even though you are just descending gradually- unknowingly_)

It wasn't fair, it really wasn't fair (and highly unlikely) that Derek Venturi was the only one to have the answers to a surprise Physics test Mrs. Norris had bombarded the class with…

But then, since when did Derek ever play fair???

But who was to blame (Casey off course. Didn't she always amount to everything that happened in his life?) that Derek was the only one in the class who had last summer's notes on projectile motion stuffed in his bag. (He knew that he went to the same class as her, was it also important to know that their course had also advanced over the summer. _ C'mon, give the poor guy a break_)

"You have the notes on projectile motion?" Emily had asked.

"Off course he does. He has forgotten that we have moved up in class." (Oh so now she answers for him as well. How very cute.) "Like always, Derek likes to remain at the bottom of all things."

"Careful _princess,_ there is no need to get your kinky sex fantasies run wild like that." (Okay, so he had to blame his fucked up state of mind on someone. didn't he? )

Ralph snorted. He could. All he had to do was hear 'kinky' and' sex' and assume that all was well with the world. (Casey ignored him. Funny. She somehow had perfected this capability)

And Derek went back to his test (let's just call it cheating through the test. There was a reason why he had those notes in his bag.)

And then.

"Derek" (oh, so she _can_ speak directly to him?)

"shh… I am trying to work here."

"De-rek" (why did she do it? This ripping apart of his name?)

"What?" he finally looked at her.

"Pass me the notes"

"No."

"Derek I need to get an A on this. It will destroy my CGPA if I don't." (Did I mention that she was stage whispering through all of this? And it felt so- so…..he was sure that he was looking for a word like over-dramatic or ridiculous..or….)

"Oh! Why didn't I think of that before? NO."

"God De-rek. What do you want me to do? Get down on my knees in front of you and beg?"

(No. no .fucking no. Not again. _Why doesn't anyone just let him be and allow him his try at sanity?_ These were images he just did _not _need) Derek closed his eyes briefly and sighed. "Here take them. Just stop being such a wiener keener."

And that is how Derek knew it. Casey was going to get an A on this one. (yet again) and he was all set for a big fat F (yet again ) and he had this disturbing feeling that it had much more to do than just a stupid surprise physics test.

(Because it had more to do with a stupid surprise _physical_ test)

(And yet again)

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Derek had managed the rest of the day well. (He really had been able to avoid Casey and he refused to believe .cut that. He refused to even consider the possibility that it had more to do with Casey avoiding him than him dodging her way.) He had excelled through hockey practice.(doesn't he always?), even managed to get himself wrapped around a blonde teenager in the backseat of his car.(doesn't he always?)

It was then that it hit him. Casey had told him that she would be in late tonight. Which meant (it meant a lot of things but he would just stick to the rational explanations) that she was not at home hogging up the television. She was not at home making herself healthy sandwiches in the kitchen. She was not at home listening to cheesy love songs in her room. (It basically meant that he had the whole house to himself)

And why exactly had his mind gone into the Casey mode right in the middle of a tongue down his throat. (_And what exactly was the name of this blonde?)_

"I need to get home." And she was still latched somewhere on his neck.

"Huh! Why?"

Why???

Option1. Because he wants to watch television at home. With no one to disturb him he may be able to catch that game. (Was there a game on tonight?)And he knew that when Casey did return she would definitely try and wrestle the remote away from him. (It was Friday night for crying out loud. Why was he even thinking about _television (?) _right now?)(crossed out)

Option2. Because he wants to make himself a totally non-healthy sandwich. Something so full of calories that when Casey returned she was bound to give him a lecture on how _that_ was no way to keep a body fit. (Again, if it was hunger that was bothering him then it could be solved by going down to the nearest diner. Blonde cheerleader in tow.) (Uh Hun….crossed out)

Option3. Because he wanted to go home and listen to music. Usually when he played them it too loudly Casey would barge into his room and shut off his music system. (He just remembered, his car had a stereo system. Duh! That meant he could listen to whatever he wanted to without Casey having to disturb him. (Obviously this was so crossed out)

Option4. Because he wanted to be there when Casey came home so she could be an ally to one, all, none of the above options. (He wasn't picky) (And the fact that this was all there was to it, he had started to cross it out even before he allowed himself to give it much thought.)

"I just have to." _(_Oh! so she was still there. Seriously what _was_ her bloody name). Derek disentangled himself from her and quietly went back to the driver's seat, ignoring the fumes this _nameless _blonde let off.

Derek had finally shut himself in his room trying desperately to sleep. (Please do not remind him that it was a _fucking Friday night)_He had aimlessly browsed through the television. (Without any disturbance), he had also made his unhealthy sandwich and finally given it to Edwin to eat (who had looked almost close to tears. Seriously, the boy needed to get over the hero worship. _Uh! Maybe not)_ and had played and replayed almost all his tracks and had finally switched it off. (It really was very loud)

He was not waiting. No he was not waiting when he finally heard the door opening downstairs. The sound of Casey climbing up the stairs almost tentatively to make sure that nobody was disturbed in their sleep. (And she was doing a very good job at it because he surely was not awake). He did not hear her door opening. The rustle of her clothes as she probably changed into those white PJ's she was so fond off. And obviously he was asleep much before he heard the even sound of her breathing indicating that she had slept.

It was after all _a fucking Friday night._

_­­­­­­­­­­­_A/N. how was it. It was longer but was it okay? Please review. I would appreciate constructive criticism and maybe a few suggestions on what other options can Derek think off. They seem very tough to write.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I had begged and threatened but all in vain.

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The third time it happened, Derek Venturi had blamed it all on allergies. (Like the ones you have to mushrooms, or to broccoli (he didn't want to find out but he was sure he had this one), some had to cats or dogs and then there was Casey, who had it to Max)

In fact, somehow it had all started with Casey sneezing all around Max. Well, she is Casey and she probably thinks getting an allergy is _deep_ or something, (excuse me, I can't have a pepper stake, I am allergic to pepper or steak or both!!! or perhaps something even more moronic like _"allergies are a way to ward you against the bad bad world, in a way there are like your best friends, cause that's what friends do_.")

But her own boyfriend? (Geez!!! That's over the notch even for the hyperventilating over-dramatic keener stepsister of mine.)

Apparently not.

"But De-rek. He has changed me."

Oh so she had noticed! (And here was he, thinking that her sudden climb onto the social ladder had been noted only by him. And Emily. When did that girl ever miss _anything?_) So she did think that her skirts had suddenly gotten shorter, her tops a little too tight, and God, did she look awful in that over grown jersey of his. And wait a minute, cheer leading? Derek had almost hugged (shudders) Noel when he had told her that cheerleading was just not her thing and she should just stick to her lame poetry club.

"So change back" Derek had done this reverse motion thing with his hands for the added effect.

And it had worked.

Sort of.

She did break up with Max (actually ultimately he broke up with her, but lets just assume otherwise for her sanity)

And that had been the beginning of the change. (THE END. It had been the beginning of the fucking end, why had he not noted that before?) Because suddenly Derek and Casey were almost friendly. Almost (Okay so he did drop ice-cream in her hair, but that was just for laughs.) The whole ordeal about her helping him with the song for Sally; him teaming up with her for the dance show, (okay so he had screwed it up himself but who had been there to help her ultimately? Yours sincerely) and the works….

And now it was this.

Casey had very successfully avoided him the whole weekend and into a good part of the next week as well. They had barely exchanged five words in five days. (He should be celebrating)

And he was. At the moment he was sprawled lazily in Sam's backyard absentmindedly running his finger at the opening of the Soda can he was sipping.

"Would you stop doing that?" Sam had said annoyingly.

"What?" and he was _still_ doing it.

"This" Sam said motioning to his hand. "You'll cut yourself."

"Yeah sure Casey."

"What?"

"What? I, uh… mean stop acting like my freaking mom, I mean Nora, I mean my ...I mean why are you acting all concerned like Casey."

"Casey? Concerned? About you? When did that happen?" (What was that ? one question? Or a multiple choice thing?)

"She isn't _concerned _about me dude." A pause "In fact she hasn't spoken to me all week."

"And that is bad? How?"

Derek had blinked stupidly at Sam before muttering something like, "you ask too many questions."

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Derek did not know _how_ it was bad. But it just somehow was. Casey didn't trouble him with rides to school, at school she was there but they barely exchanged a glance let alone a hi! (Hi! Casey. Remember me? I _live_ with you.)And at home, Casey had shut herself in her room, occasionally coming out for meals where apart from the basic 'pass me the potatoes' she said nothing directly to him. And what was worse that she was not moping around the house, which would have led him to believe that she had either gotten bad grades (she wouldn't mope if that was ever to happen. She would kill herself) or broken up with someone (as far as he knew she wasn't even dating at the moment. _Was she dating someone?). _In fact she was as sickeningly cheerful as ever. The sunshine just wasn't directed at him. And he could live with that. Right?

"Hi Lizzie. Edwin. Sandwich" Derek greeted as he entered the living room. "Um…where is Casey?"

"Her room" Lizzie looked at him almost suspiciously, "you have something major planned. Don't you?"

"Sorry. I don't plan things. They just happen to me. But what are we talking about?"

"You and Casey. You guys haven't been at each others throats in a while so I just thought this must be one of your nulls before the storm."

_And there it goes again_. At each others throat? Which probably means strangling each other or something but then why did he have this sudden image of Casey licking her way down his throat? And lower?

"Wouldn't you like to know Liz." _Congratulations!_ He had just managed that without either breaking into a sweat or sounding like an unusually high pitched opera singer.

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Remember that expression+line mode Derek had known would give him nightmares? Well, that nightmare was at its full climax at the moment. (Pun intended) and Derek was absolutely freaked out.

Just what was going through that thick head of Casey's? So she had noticed him catch an eye full of her. It wasn't like they had made out or something. (Okay, the dinner Nora had made was not all that bad, so just why was he so intended on throwing up all of it?) So why was she making a big deal out of it. (_She _was making a big deal? Ha. Derek had a feeling that it was not Casey who felt as if they had suddenly caught a deadly epidemic). Why was she so adamant on keeping herself at bay? He was not going to jump her every time they saw each other you know….

Until…

Until this was _exactly_ what Casey's perverted mind was afraid of….

Derek grinned. Oh! So this was it? Casey had probably made herself a color coded list of what Derek would do if he caught her unawares.

(_Hello_! He was just listing options she probably already had written down. He definitely wasn't making lists of his own. He does have better things to do you know.)

Option1. Casey thought Derek would just grab her and kiss her senseless…. (And why would she have trouble with that one? Derek Venturi kissing her! She should be over the moon.) (Crossed out)

Option2. Casey thought Derek would ask her out on a date. (Again. Girls lived for this. She should be looking forward for this one and not be afraid of it.)(Crossed out)

Option3. Casey thought Derek would suddenly declare his undying love for her. (Ha-ha. Even Casey knew him better than that.)(Crossed out)

Option4. Casey was just plain avoiding Derek. Period. (He was bolting out of his room and into hers before he could cross out this one).

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"Are you avoiding me?" Derek had barged into Casey's room.

"What?"

"Just answer me damit. Are you by any chance avoiding me?"

"And what makes you think that?" the corners of Casey's lips twitched a little.

"That's not important. You just haven't bugged me all week. I barely see you after school and you haven't barged into my room to shut the music, you haven't fought with me for the remote and you haven't _would you stop smiling like that?"_

"I...I am sorry" Casey said between full giggles "No Derek. I have not been avoiding you." She said finally sobering down a bit.

"Good"

"Good" Casey nodded.

And Derek didn't move a muscle. He just kept standing there. "Uh Derek…now that's settled… I really have to finish this essay." Casey reminded him.

"Yeah sure….I was you know, just making sure." He said backing out of the room.

(And seriously what was so funny? Why was she still smiling as if she knew something he didn't?)

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It was very late at night that it finally did hit him and he had bolted straight up on his bed from the shock.

"Are you avoiding me?" _he had actually asked Casey if she had been fucking avoiding him_. Fuck. He sounded like such a chick.

(No. no. no.) Derek angrily jammed his fist into the pillow and fell back to his bed, preparing himself to what he knew was going to be a long long night.

_Are you avoiding me? _What had he been thinking? better why had he been _not thinking?_

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A/N. I think the whole 'change back' scene in the allergy season was my favorite Dasey, moment. It just shows how Derek likes her just the way she is. And that soda can thing is an annoying habit I have, just thought it would be nice to lend Derek something of mine… (lol)Please leave a review and let me know what you think of this one. They make my day and motivate me enough to continue writing. I would greatly appreciate it.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I had begged and threatened but all in vain.

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The next time it happened Derek Venturi had blamed it on his foot in the mouth disease. The kind where you have to pay the consequences of what you say…ah! Consequences….his fucked up frame of mind could have really done well without this one…_not that he was actually complaining…._

Casey had barged into his room predictably unannounced, early the next morning, and yanked the bed covers off him…_not good Case…not good…you don't wake up a guy while he is in a middle of a…uh... certain dream about you…what if…what the fuck, what is she doing here?_

Derek hastily pulled the covers back up to his chest. "What?"

"Rise and shine Derek. It's a lovely morning and we don't want to miss a minute of it."

"We?"

"Yeah…you have to give me a ride to school. Remember? So get up. I'll wait for you downstairs for breakfast."

And she had breezed out all bright and sunny just like the day she had promised outside.

_What just happened here? Okay Casey had been doing some pretty un-Casyish things in his dream, but this?_

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"Cereal?" she asked as soon as he had entered the kitchen and Lizzie and Edwin almost dropped their own bowls.

"Here" she passed him a bowl before he could respond with a viable sarcastic comment to that.

Derek was too dazed to do anything but silently munch through his breakfast. He almost wanted to remind Edwin to breathe though. Almost. And Lizzie…well she looked close to death itself …._did shock really turn you that white?_

And Casey continued… "Oh Derek, don't you think it's interesting that we'll be meeting career counselors today."

"mmmm" _what else do you say when you trying to contemplate whether or not your cereal has been poisoned …there really wasn't any other explanation._

"I think I'll try out for Queens and perhaps Toronto University or maybe even Harvard."

_Yeah that's nice….move to the States…or maybe even Mars…_

"Where would you like to go Derek?"

"What? Are you kidding me?" he started but Casey just moved on, "I think you should give Queens a try. I heard they have these really cool Hockey scholarship programs there…and it could…."

"Casey, what are you doing?" Lizzie finally broke her silence

Casey blinked as if she couldn't believe her younger sister had really asked such a stupid question. "Not avoiding Derek. He asked me not to." She said simply.

And Derek was suddenly choking on his cereal and Edwin was grinning and passing him a glass of water while continuing to thump his back, "here. Some water to wash down that foot of yours?"

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And it hadn't stopped there….

The car ride was agonizing as Casey continued to discuss some more future plans.

"….I would like to live in a duplex and perhaps convert the first floor into a wall to wall library. What do you think? Will it look nice?

"I don't know. Can we please stop this like right now?" And there was an edge to his voice.

"No. silly. I still haven't decided the color for the walls…"

"Casey, it doesn't matter what color the walls are because a wall to wall library would mean that every inch is covered by _newsflash, _book shelves…so will you just stop it." _Oh God, he actually was discussing her silly duplex with her. What the hell was wrong with him?_

Not that it mattered because Casey really hadn't heard a word, "…I think peach would look real nice…."

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­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­It didn't end at school either….

"Derek" she nudged him in the middle of English class. _Had he mentioned that she had decided to sit on the seat right next to him, something she had never done before. Never._

"What now?"

"Did you know that 'As You Like It' is also called 'What You Will' and its called so because Shakespeare really couldn't think of a title for it."

"And why would I want to know that?"

"Because it's English literature and this is an English class and more importantly I wouldn't want you to feel as if I am not letting you on to something I know about."

Derek opened and closed his mouth several times before settling with, "Casey listen. It's fine and trust me completely in character if you know about something and I don't. Especially, English literature. Okay?" His tone was quite akin to that of one explaining something to a child.

"But De-rek, that would probably make you think that I was ignoring you. You know, avoiding you or something." _She really really had to be joking, and Oh God was that actually a smile?_

And later.

"psst…."

"What Casey?"

"I just remembered a joke. It really is funny, this one time….."

_Okay one thing he knows for sure now, Casey wouldn't know what a funny joke was even if it came and hit her on the face…._

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It actually got worse by lunch time…

Derek had just found a few minutes of respite from Casey and was having lunch with Sam, who was told very pointedly that he really wanted peace for some time.

_When she came. _(Yet again)

"Hi! Sam. Would you mind sitting with Emily today? I really want to spend some quality meal time with Derek, lest he thinks I am avoiding him or something."

"Sure" Sam managed but his eyes had narrowed down messaging Derek that he wanted all the details later. _What details, you idiot._

"Oh! I haven't seen you since English." Casey said sliding in the seat opposite him.

Derek just nodded; (_what was the point of telling her that English was just last class...) it really was a monologue anyway. _

"How do you think Lizzie would do in her Soccer match today? …Ooh and Edwin has this Biology test today as well….I hope he does well."

_They were discussing siblings now???_

"It's started to get real cold now. Maybe you should start wearing that jacket of yours. Why don't you get a new one anyway…"

_And weather…_

"I Can't wait to wear all those muffins and ear-muffs…."

_God was she still talking?_

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By the time School got over, he had had enough…

"Emily is planning to go out on a movie with Sheldon this Saturday. Why him, I wonder. But maybe love just makes you do crazy things….."

_Yeah it does…_ (And where had that come from?)

"I wonder how this one will turn out; I absolutely adore Matt Damon though…"

And suddenly Derek had grasped her from the shoulder and pined her to the car, leaning down to draw his face at level with hers.

"Casey enough."

"But De-rek…"

"Shh….no you listen to me now. I have had enough of you and really really need you to shut up. Okay?"

(And when had he gotten so close to her face?)

Casey had stubbornly crossed her arms across her chest…(_drawing his gaze there…but that's besides the point), _"I refuse to shut up. You wanted me to stop avoiding you and that's….."

She never really managed to finish that sentence because Derek had captured her mouth with his own, coaxing her mouth to yield open. But she didn't respond. But just stood there. Immobile.

_Okay, that had gotten her to shut up…_

And then he suddenly let go of her, abruptly stepping backwards….the shock on his face mirroring hers…

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_There had to be some rational explanation for this._

Had he just kissed his step-sister_? (_He had done a lot more in his dreams but she didn't know that and heck he didn't want to know it either.)

And the object of his dilemma was just staring out of the window. Quiet. (_That was good. right?)_

So what were his options?

Option1. He had to get her to shut up…(see that was simple …so why hadn't he used his hand instead?) (Crossed out)

Option2. Casey was a girl; He was a guy. Yin and Yang. Simple biology? (Yeah right. He didn't exactly go kissing every sexual counterpart, not that he would mind but he just didn't) ((sigh) But crossed out)

Option3. Casey had made the first move. She had kissed him, not the other way round. (Phew! That was a relief but his ego reminded him that she had _barely_ responded during the whole ordeal so what were the odds that she began it…(unfortunately crossed out)

Option4. Let's just face it. This entire thing has been building up for quite some time now and he had probably wanted to kiss her umpteenth times before and there is so much a guy can take. (But before he could even consider this one, he realized that they had reached home, the car had halted and Casey had moved out, slamming the car door on her way out.)

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He had to talk to her.

Two matured people could easily talk stuff out and solve issues… (Except that considering Casey's behavior in the morning, he really didn't think maturity was an option available to her anymore.)

So he waited for her downstairs and she finally did show her face.

"Casey, Casey, Casey….it's so nice to see you. How have you been?"

"What do you want Derek?" Crisp and cold.

"Me? Want? Nothing. I was just …you know thinking that perhaps I should think a little more seriously about college. What was that you said about Queens?"

A single shaped eyebrow went right up.

"And what was that about Emily and Sheldon? Yuck! I know…"

Casey had turned around and was on her way back up the stairs, Derek right behind her…

"I think strawberry pink would look better than peach on your walls…."

And Casey had slammed the door right on his face… (Yet again)

(Too bad, because he had thought that she would just _shut him up_.)

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A/N. clichéd I know….kissing her to shut her up…whatever happened to good old hand? But I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, perhaps because I needed a break from the brooding Derek I have been writing for WHERE WE ARE NOW….and seriously there is just so much Derek can think of when he wants to talk maturely to Casey about something…..:) oh! i adore Matt Damon too.........

I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it and please please review….thanks!!!


	5. Chapter 5

AN. Yes finally finally I have an update for this. It's taken me forever, but here is hoping that you would like this chapter. Do review...:)

DISCLAIMER: I had begged and threatened...but all in vain.

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The _next_ time it happens (he has lost count, haven't you noticed?) Derek Venturi blames it on the excess usage of garlic in Nora's cooking.

Edwin is the first one to notice that something is wrong with him.

"You're making your own sandwich?" he yelps as he enters the kitchen.

Derek looks up with annoyance and then continues back to spreading the mayo, "yes"

"You don't want me do it for you?" Edwin asks again, his knuckles turning almost white as he holds onto the island, leaning forward in anticipation.

"No." Derek answers in a monotone.

"I knew it…."

Derek ignores him but Edwin continues none the less ('_taking a hint'….that was the topic of their next brother to brother talk)_

"I knew it…you haven't bugged Casey in a while (_if only he knew...), _you have been doing all your homework (_okay, so Edwin didn't know that these days the back of Derek's notebooks had replaced Babe Raider for Casey in different fashions for Bikini ware...)_ and you have been asking Casey not to avoid you (_let's just not get into that. Please.)_And now _this._ They all point toward the same thing. You…"

"Point towards what?" Derek asks threateningly, his butter knife drawn dangerously in the direction of his brother.

"No...Nnnthing brother…I was just saying that perhaps you are ill or something…" Edwin explains jerking back automatically.

"Who's ill?" Lizzie enters the kitchen, saving Edwin from what could have been a very tragic end…

"Derek…he's making his own sandwich…"

"What?" her eyes go round and she turns to Edwin, "wasn't that clause No. 2 (vi) on our Anti Derek forum…"

_(And they have an entire forum on him. Derek doesn't know whether to be very flattered or very annoyed. Annoyed. Really because this is Edwin and Lizzie)_

Lizzie draws her chair close to Derek and places a palm on his forehead, "Na. No fever…" she looks at him closely and scrunches up a face in examination, "Derek do you feel woozy in your stomach." (_Excuse me? By woozy do you mean that weird I- have- a- hockey- match- and –no-hockey-stick feeling I get whenever your sister as much as enters the room?)_

"Actually Liz, I do" he says grabbing her by the shoulders and she shrinks back, almost scared…

And then.

"Do I have bad breath?" he draws out in a single breath.

"Huh!!" and she shrinks back even further…"I don't know and trust me I don't want to know…"

"No really… Because I need to know…" (_Brushed my teeth this morning? Check. Last night. Check. Morning before? Check. Because who wants to miss Princess drooling over with white foam. It's hilarious... And adorable and he is going and shooting himself after he hides every object of dental hygiene in the house_)

"You know what? I think I can help you with that." Edwin interrupts. "I am sure I have a few notes on different kinds of bad breath somewhere."

Derek turns around to look at him and realizes almost as an afterthought that he is still holding onto Lizzie and that there is a knife grasped between his teeth. He releases both and shakes himself out from the sudden bewilderment, "Edwin, finish making my sandwich."

And walks out. (Giving his younger siblings enough material to spend another year in the game closet.)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Kendra is bombarded with it next.

"Derek for the hundredth time, you kiss real well…really really well in fact…" she is getting this dreamy look in her eyes and some of Derek's lost ego starts to climb his way back.

And he spends his math class going over the same old ordeal.

Why had Casey not kissed him back?

Option1. He didn't kiss her properly. (But hadn't Kendra's glazed eyes just proved otherwise to him (and seriously he had always gotten rave reviews on his performance)) (crossed out.)

Option 2. He has bad breath. (Now he doesn't really pride himself on his hygiene or anything but as mentioned before he has incentives for being in the same bathroom with Casey from time to time) and his mind has gone back to Casey land and he needs to come back before he starts to visualize anymore of tiled floors and wet bodies and…_oh god make it stop!) _(Crossed out immediately because he doesn't know where can he get that cold shower _and why is he thinking of showers again _in the middle of a class?)

Option 3. She doesn't know how to kiss. (Likely option except for that little detail that he has seen her making out with Sam and Max on that fateful couch in their living room. (There is a reason he has a different chair. And you thought that the recliner was to stretch his legs?))

(She freaking even eats her tofu in a sexy way. How can she not know how to kiss?)

(Yeah well, are you slow? Definitely crossed out buddy).

Option4. It really isn't just Yin and Yang but more along the lines of step Yin and step Yang. Whatever. So maybe Casey isn't that comfortable with it _yet. _Given a little more time, a few more practice session she should be just fine. Because kissing Derek Venturi was the ultimate goal in any girl's life. Really.

And suddenly he is hit by a pen from across the room (Casey?) and his mind is reverted back (for the first time) to the world of integration and differentiation.

(And he needs a bit more of that adding and subtracting and weird signs in the middle in his life.)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

He should learn not to enter her room without knocking.

Because Casey finds just that particular evening to practice her dance moves_. And how tough would it have been for her to post a note on her door saying that she had a blue dress on and that she was dancing (which ultimately meant that she had amazing long legs sprawled out at different angles for the world to see) and the fact that she was looking sexy as hell…_

Derek stands at the open doorframe with his mouth gaping open and Casey hasn't even heard him come in. he quickly leaves the room, slamming the door shut behind him. _(and finally hears it- De-rek)_

_Note to self: that huge 'KEEP OUT' sign on his door frame needed to be stuck on Casey's door. Just for reminders._

He is waiting downstairs for her and he knows that she would come. He just does.

And she comes down (wearing a tee and jeans. Thank god)

Casey quietly picks up the remote and switches on the TV. Derek quietly takes the remote and lowers the volume.

She doesn't complain. He really isn't that surprised.

"Why did you kiss me?

"Why didn't you kiss me back?"

And they laugh a little. (Still not looking at each other but the unison has at least brought down the tension down a bit. Whatever tension you can bring down between a pair of step siblings who have shared a kiss. Uh…a one sided kiss. Whatever)

"Why didn't you kiss me back?" Derek repeats again.

Casey stares ahead. "I don't know. Why did you kiss me in the first place?"

"I don't know."

_Fair enough._

They sit in the middle of that awkward silence for several more minutes, while Casey resumes staring blankly at the TV and Derek continues to drum his fingers on the arm rest.

"Why don't we just ignore it?" She finally says.

"Ignore what?"

"This…this…"

_He would. He really would. If he could. But fun fact. __**This**__ is attached to his various bodily functions. (The south block obviously but he has this gnawing doubt that the north block is actively involved as well.)_

"Okay." He agrees.

She turns around to look him up at surprise. (Because he never does agree with her that easily.)

And nothing has changed.

"It isn't my bad breath? Is it?" Derek breaths out into his palm. Checking.

Casey bursts out into a laugh, "what?"

Derek looks at her almost hurt, "no seriously. I need to know. Was it the technique? Was it…"

He stops suddenly because Casey is smiling (a little impishly) and is leaning forward. (_And dude, breath.)_

She holds out onto his neck bringing his face forward (and his motor nerves have dejected him. Filthy traitors) and stops a nanometer away before her lips would have touched his. She looks up and he looks back at her. Dazed. And she has drawn back and resumed her position on the couch in matter of seconds. Her gaze back on the TV.

"No. you don't have bad breath…"

"As for the technique. I will give that a test later."

Derek opens and closes his mouth a few times before he just continues to stare ahead again.

Several minutes tick by.

"And before we get to that" Casey says, "you may as well give me a bulleted list on why exactly did you kiss me…"

Pause.

"And I would appreciate it if it was color coded..."

________________________________________________________________________________________________

AN. Thanks to Katmac1 whose idea it was of Derek walking onto Casey's room while she is practicing her dance moves...

How was it? And seriously this was supposed to be Derek in control chapter, how exactly did Casey turn into a tease...Poor Derek...The next chapter should probably be the end, because that is all the options I can come up with...I am not exactly ending it in a haste but this really is nearing towards it. My other two stories should have an update soon...do read them...:) thanks...I really really appreciate you guys...


	6. Chapter 6

A/N. Thanks to the wonderful wonderful bsloths for going over this for me…. This is the end….

Disclaimer: I had threatened and begged…but all in vain.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The next time it happens Derek Venturi stops blaming it on anyone…There really isn't any need…Because the fact that he has gone from revolting at the mere sight of her cleavage to actually waiting till she passes him on _his_ kissing technique is beyond him.

He is standing outside her door, totally unsure of when and why his feet have decided to carry him right there…_he has learnt to give up on his motor skills quite some time ago…they have this uncanny habit of changing sides whenever Casey is in vicinity…_

Surprisingly enough (who is he kidding? The only thing surprising about this is that he still hasn't figured out that she has magical abilities…And that telepathy is just one of her many powers…) Casey seems to know why…She opens her door, gives him one bored look and declares in what could only be described as a tone you use on a three year old,

"No. No. Not now Derek…Not until you have that list… Until that time you can go and practice on your pillow."

It takes him a minute to actually register her words. "Pftt…As if. Wish-full thinking Spacey. I wasn't waiting for _that."_

Too late though. Casey has already slammed the front door on her way out.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

He can hardly believe that her lame poetry club could actually be so _lame…_

And to top it all Mrs. Woods actually expects him to recite something…(he has a feeling that telling her that he was here only to talk to Casey was not going to go well with her.)

"Uh…Baba Black Sheep…" The class sniggers and Casey sends him a disapproving glance before breaking into a smile.

_Uh...Oh...This is not going to go well._

"Actually Mrs. Woods, Derek has been working on this wonderful poem…I wonder if he would like to share it with the class…"

And then she leans in close and throws in the last punch …Right into his ears…

"If you do this right…I'll take you on that test…And grade you with an A plus." her hands brush against his sides, unnoticed by anyone else… (Frankly, at the moment he would rather concentrate on breathing than be bothered about being caught with his step-sister running her finger tips up and down his arm.)

"Oh. How nice. What is it all about?"

Casey drops her hand. "It's a lyrical list of reasons… Describing how he feels about this girl he kissed at the parking lot two days ago…"

Thankfully though the purples of his face are rightly mistaken for a severe bolt of nervousness and he's finally let off the hook, the class resorting instead to hear Casey compare her life to a Giant Wheel or something.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

He was going to pay her back for this. For all of it.

And that's why he is sitting on her bed waiting for her to show up. (Seriously.)

She barely registers him as she walks inside and starts settling the huge pile of books on her table. "You have the list?"

"No."

"You can get out then."

"You really want your entire poetry club to know why I kissed you?"

"No. Enlightening me would be enough."

Her back is turned towards him and he walks up behind her.

"Why are you so fixated with that idea anyhow?"

She turns around to face him and for the first time he notices that her hands are shaking (as well) and that her eyes have lost all their earlier mirth…

"Because I don't want you playing around with me."

_So this is what's bothering her. Idiot._

"What makes you think I'm playing around with you?" _So much for family trust…(Yeah like that's what he needs to focus on at the moment.) _

Casey throws him a disbelieving glance and he can almost hear her say, '_oh please.'_

"You have reasons?" she asks.

"No." Because he has tried but hasn't been able to come up with any honest answer…._ Except for one…But he refuses to rush in where angels fear to tread…_(and this is what two years with Casey have led to…He has his phrases right for once.)

"Fine then. Consider the entire deal off. It was a stupid thing anyway." She has the door open for him.

"Has it ever occurred to you that I kissed you because I've wanted to do it ever since I laid eyes on you?" _.Shit. _

Casey raises an eyebrow in question. "It's true," he answers. "Ever since I was Ralph and you had braces."

This was news even to Derek but somehow the nerve connecting his brain and mouth has decided to play dead as he continues to gush. "So yeah. That's your reason. I kissed you because I wanted to. Is that enough for you?"

"But you don't have a list. That was part of our deal." Casey pouts.

"Part of _your _deal. I have been driving myself up the wall just trying to figure out why you didn't respond. The possibility that you didn't feel the same way…." _And he knows that he has gone way too far…_

"Feel?" _Oh please Casey. You can wipe that triumphant smile off your pretty face. I'm still not giving you any list._

"Whatever." He back tracks. Except that Casey has closed the door and is moving towards him.

"Really?" she asks. _When exactly had their faces gotten so close? _

"It's not like it's going to last long or anything…simple infatuation…girl-boy…" not that he ever gets to finish that sentence because Casey suddenly swings her arms around him, crushing him into a kiss.

He's so (pleasantly) shocked by her forwardness that it's minutes later that it hits him…_Casey McDonald had jumped him. This was all his fantasies combined into one…_

"You don't think it's going to last?" she asks somewhere in the middle of twirling her fingers through his hair…

"Huh…What?" Derek leans in forward for another kiss.

"I asked if you think this will last."

"Nah…it's crazy. We hate each other," he reminds her.

"Yeah." She agrees. Even though the tone of her voice tells him that she doesn't.

But who's got the time to measure tones when she is arching her throat for better access.

So? How long till they do realize that this is a huge mistake?

Option 1. Just this one time. The moment they step outside the room the weirdness of the situation would hit them. (Except that Casey kisses really well. (_Who could have guessed?)_So the possibility of himnot wanting anymore of this is quiet nil.) (Crossed out)

Option 2. Okay, so a few more kisses. Perhaps the second base. Maybe third. And that's it. (This was Derek Venturi after all. You don't have him give third base to a girl and then not expect her to stay till home run.) (For the sake of his peerless talent, crossed out.)

Option 3. So he was going was going to have sex with her and then break it off. Once and for all. To get the entire virus out of the system. (Not that easy though. Casey would make his life hell. You don't do her and dump her ...He lives with her, the nagging would be constant.) (Crossed out.)

Option 4. would make this work. Turn days into years, get married, have a future. (No point even considering this one. The very idea is hilarious.) (Just before he can have this crossed out, Casey's 'you so deserve an A plus' distracts him.)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_Seven years later._

"You really expect me to wear one of _these _to my wedding?" Casey asks in a very calm and even tone. Apparently it's all part of her Zen classes before the big day. "I think so." Derek says holding the magenta and fluorescent green dresses for display. "I think it would bring out the red in your hair and the green in your eyes."

Casey sighs in resentment and takes a couple of huge breaths before continuing, "I hate to break your fantasy Derek, but I have brown hair and blue eyes."

Derek does a whole pretence of peering into her eyes and falling back with shock, muttering something about being bewitched for life, while Casey puts in two weeks worth of mediation classes in ignoring him. "And in any case, I have to wear white. It's tradition."

"But there's nothing traditional about this wedding. Wait till you see what I'm going to wear."

"What? Your Superman costume?" Casey asks tiredly.

"No. Even better. I have decided to borrow Max's baby blue tux from his junior prom."

"De-rek!" she shrieks.

_Good. He had finally gotten her to lose her cool a bit. She was taking the entire thing way too seriously anyhow._

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
_

"Relax. It's just a best man's speech. How can you mess it up?"

"Wait till you have to give one of these," Sam says, shifting nervously from one foot to another.

"Something I never have to worry about. Your track record of rejections is pretty impressive."

"De-rek."

"Oh great. It's contagious now," Derek says, shuffling out a few DVDs from his bag.

"Here," he says, handing them over to Sam. "With a little help from Marti, I have collected all those chick flicks which have great best man's speeches…There's Serendipity, My Best Friend's Wedding, Four Weddings…So on and so forth…take your pick… Do it right and you may just be able to pick up a lay after the reception…"

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"So I understand that you don't like the dresses Casey has picked up for you?"

Three disappointed heads nod in affirmation.

"It's lavender. Why couldn't it be blue or perhaps black?" Lizzie whines.

"It's not lavender enough." Marti complains next. "I wanted it to be purple."

"It's too long." Emily sighs. _Women._

"Shh…Here is the thing." Derek indicates them to sit. "As the maid of honor and the bride's maid I truly understand that you girls are upset with your dresses, but the fact remains that you're called maids for the very reason that you have to follow what the bride says." And then almost as an afterthought, "And the best thing about these dresses is that you can always shorten them and wear them later."

Emily and Lizzie gawk in shock as they look at Marti for explanation.

"27 Dresses," the girl explains.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"I beleive that it's a gift to be the best man. They say that once in your lifetime, someone comes along whom you're absolutely meant to be with. Everything feels great, stars are aligned, body and spirit are in balance. For my friend, Derek Venturi, that person was _me." _Sam declares as a few giggles mingled with a few gasps pass the hall.

He continues unperturbed, "But as you know, Derek and I were simpatico. We were brothers from another mother. We were friends since first grade. I watched him go out with woman after woman, and he'd always come crawling back to me..."

"He's so not getting laid today." Derek says almost to himself even though Casey hears it and throws him a disapproving glance as Sam still continues.

"But then one night he came home and things were different. His dream of becoming a documentary filmmaker was a thing of the past. He hardly responded to my playful yet tormented flicks of my fingers against the soft part of his skull. And that is because he had found her. The woman he was meant to be with. And if anyone is qualified to know when he met his soul mate, it would be me, his first wife. She's smart, she's funny, and she's beautiful. In short, she's the kind of woman that any man would dream about. And I think we all have. So it is with sadness...and fond, fond memories...that I raise my glass to the new Venturi. I'll tell you something. My friends, if I had to lose Derek to anyone, I can't imagine a more perfect woman than Casey. Cheers to both of you." Sam raises his glass as he finishes his thoroughly rehearsed best man's speech.

"How drunk is he?" Casey asks Derek.

"It isn't the alcohol," he answers. "It's Serendipity. He forgot to alter the speech a bit."

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"It's perfect." Casey whispers to him. _And this is all what he had been waiting for._

"Wait till you hear the orchestra. I have them playing our song."

"Our song? We never had a song Derek."

"Yes. But I thought we should. So I chose a beautiful track for you. Don't worry you'll love it."

Casey smiles at him in utmost pleasure, "I can hardly wait," she gushes.

"What song?" Sam whispers from the other side.

"Survivor from Rocky." Derek grins making sure Casey doesn't hear him. Sam laughs and then looks at Casey thanking guests around her. "Seriously, though. How did you two ever get to this? From almost killing each other to married to each other?" he asks.

"Casey seduced me. She would wear these outrageous Babe Raider clothes all the time. I was just roped into her big plan." Derek laughs but sobers up as he watches Casey talking and laughing with friends and family.

_Casey McDonald Venturi. He could hardly believe that it all had ultimately led to this._

"Frankly Sam, It was the only option."

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AN…I think Derek trying his best to get the wedding just right for Casey is super adorable…So …That's it for this fic…I do hope it has met your expectations…Now, I'll work on the other two….Please please review….


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